


Just Stand By Me

by PrefectMoony



Series: Show Me A Hero And I'll Write You A Tragedy [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post Series, Post Tartarus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 19:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21433462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrefectMoony/pseuds/PrefectMoony
Summary: They’re older now, both graduated and with careers. They share an apartment and adopted a dog together. He knows every patch of skin on her body and every scab on her heart. He loves her so thoroughly that it takes his breath away some days, and he knows she feels the same. He has Annabeth. Has her the ways he only yearned of when he was a frightened fifteen year old with the world on his shoulders. He has her but still feels like he’s still years and decades and probably a century away from understanding her wholly.“You hungry?” He asks, tentative. “There’s some left over Chinese in the fridge, but I could run down to Sal’s, get you a salad instead?”Annabeth’s frown only deepens, ducking her head and casting her gaze anywhere but at him. Percy suddenly can comprehend the expression lost at sea. Plunk him anywhere in the ocean and he’ll know the precise coordinates, but let Annabeth Chase glance away from him, and he’ll drown.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: Show Me A Hero And I'll Write You A Tragedy [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1530566
Comments: 12
Kudos: 123





	Just Stand By Me

**Author's Note:**

> When will I chill with this? I dunno my ass is a messy hoe.

“Cream and sugar,” Annabeth says as she passes Percy the mug of coffee and sits down besides Hazel on the opposite end of the table. It’s the warmest she’s been towards him for nearly a week now and he’s not sure if he should be grateful or not.

“Thanks,” he chances a smile, but Annabeth doesn’t even look his way when she responds with a sparing, “No problem.” 

Hazel glances over to Leo and Piper across from her, obviously uncomfortable with the chill that’s coded Percy and Annabeth’s every interaction this entire weekend, and he doesn’t blame her. It’s been downright unpleasant, but he’s not sure what else to do here. He’s apologized and tried to discuss it and promised to go straight back to her once he returned, but Annabeth wasn’t hearing any of it, still stiff lipped and distant and impervious to his every attempt to mend this hurdle.

He knows he promised her no more quests, but Poseidon had come to Percy personally, standing in the lapping shoreline of Long Island Sound, the coast of camp. He can’t just reject him. He’s a prick and a god and is honestly not worth the time Percy puts in to try and figure him out, but he’s still his dad, and he needs Percy. How can he deny him that?

“Let them do their own dirty work,” Annabeth had said caustically when Percy told her of the impending quest— one that’d be impossible for her to join on account to it taking place under the sea. 

“He seemed desperate,” Percy had shrugged. “He needs the help.”

“Fine, it’s your fucking funeral Percy!” She had just exclaimed, rage bursting out of her. “’S not like any of us need you around anyways.”

That was six days ago, and they haven’t spoken beyond placid pleasantries and stilted discussions about their days, since. The best Percy was able to get out of her was a curt nod and pasted smile while at Estelle’s ballet recital.

It’s absolutely miserable.

Percy hates it when Annabeth’s upset, especially when at him. It’s a strange and unnerving feeling and he hates how for the first time since he was a sixteen year old kid, he doesn’t know how to fix what’s been broken between them. Is terrified with the thought that Annabeth doesn’t even want to try.

“I went out on a date with that girl from my Refugees class,” Piper finally says, breaking the tension and moving the focus off of Percy and Annabeth in one foul swoop.

“The one who interned with the governor?” Annabeth asks, playing along.

“Yeah, it was loads of fun.”

.-

When they get back home to their apartment cusping Columbia’s campus, there’s still a tautness that’s seizing the space between them. 

Percy toes off his shoes and watches as Annabeth unclips her hair from its severe bun, golden tendrils tumbling down her back. He feels like he’s fifteen again, sneaking glances at her the summer that the prophecy was meant to come into fruition. Feeling his stomach tumble itself into knots, and his heart swell with a feeling he was too afraid to parse out. Afraid because he knew it was love. Afraid because at that point he truly felt as if he only had weeks to live and didn’t want to start something only to break Annabeth’s heart in the aftermath. Afraid because a part of him greedily wanted as much of her as he could get before he takes his final breath. 

He wanted to have all of her.

They’re older now, both graduated and with careers. They share an apartment and adopted a dog together. He knows every patch of skin on her body and every scab on her heart. He loves her so thoroughly that it takes his breath away some days, and he knows she feels the same. He has Annabeth. Has her the ways he only yearned of when he was a frightened fifteen year old with the world on his shoulders. He has her but still feels like he’s still years and decades and probably a century away from understanding her wholly.

“You hungry?” He asks, tentative. “There’s some left over Chinese in the fridge, but I could run down to Sal’s, get you a salad instead?”

Annabeth’s frown only deepens, ducking her head and casting her gaze anywhere but at him. Percy suddenly can comprehend the expression lost at sea. Plunk him anywhere in the ocean and he’ll know the precise coordinates, but let Annabeth Chase glance away from him, and he’ll drown.

“Annabeth, please. Just please. Tell me what’s going on? Let me inside of your head.” He walks up closer to her, inclines his head so that they’re eye to eye. Sea glass green boring into stormy gray.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she tries to say, tries to come across blithe. It fails miserably. He can immediately detect the wobble in her voice and the way she clenches her jaw ever so slightly. She’s scared, and Percy can’t even fathom how it’s him that she’s afraid of.

“Annabeth don’t do that. Tell me if you’re mad, or if you hate me. Or if you want to break up.” Percy breaks off right then, swipes away the tears brimming his eyes before continuing. “Just don’t fucking lie to me. That’s not what we do. Not to each other. Not us.”

Annabeth’s face goes a sickly pale color, lips parted in disbelief before she grabs onto him, and plunges into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. By rote, Percy wraps his arms around her and squeezes tight.

“Perse, no. Of course not. Never. I love you. I love you with all I have! I love you more than I ever thought we were allowed to love someone!” She shutters out a breath. “How do you not know that by now?”

Percy kisses her temple, suddenly finds himself thanking all the deities of every world that he gets this, gets her, before he moves back.

“Ever since I told you about that quest Poseidon needs me for, you’ve barely glanced my way.”

Annabeth worries on her bottom lip between her teeth, cheeks flushed.

“I know,” she relents.

“Then what is it Annabeth? I’m so confused. And every time I’ve tried talking to you about it you just shut me off. Do you know how painful that is! How frustrating and confusing and—“

“I know! Percy I know! And I’m so sorry, it’s just, it’s been so much and I didn’t know how to tell you! And, and—“

Percy’s brows begin to knit together, he feels like he’s been thrown for a complete loop at the vulnerability dripping off of her every word, the fear embedded there. 

“Annabeth what’s going on? It’s more than this quest, I know it.”

“I’m pregnant.” Annabeth just blurts, breathless and quick and wide eyed.

“What.” Percy’s heart seizes up, hands going clammy and throat contracting. He tries taking apart her words and putting them back together, tries figuring out a sequence that would fit— Nothing works. It’s still there, throbbing in the space between them, and he physically can not understand. 

“What?”

Annabeth looks absolutely recked, face reddening and eyes dripping with tears and brows furrowed with utter fear.

“Hey no it’s fine,” Percy strides up to her, pulling her close and knotting his hand into her curls while the other is cupped around her face. She’s so beautiful and Percy loves her and he can’t understand anything’ that’s going on but he knows he’ll always love Annabeth, will always love their child. He’ll always be there for them.

God he’s shaking. 

“Are you sure?” Percy asks softly. 

“I’m like three weeks late, and I tried out a stupid test from the drug store right before you told me what Poseidon had wanted.”

Percy bites down the shock of her keeping this from him for nearly a week now— ignores the hurt there, that’s not what’s important right now. Instead he begins to rub soothing circles on her back and repeats the fact that everything’s going to be fine.

“We’re so young. I’m going back to get my masters in a few weeks!” Annabeth argues.

“It’s fine love, it is.” Percy kisses the knuckles on her left hand. “Let’s just take it step by step, okay? I’ll go down the street and get another test and if it’s the same result, we’ll make an appointment with your doctor. Let’s just breathe, okay?”

Sniffling, Annabeth just nods, slow and sure. 

“’s okay, I bought two,” she admits. 

“Of course you did wise girl,” Percy smiles, genuinely charmed. “You’re always prepared.”

The corners of her mouth curve up into a small, delighted thing, eyes sparkling with more mirth than Percy’s seen all week long.

“I missed you so much.”

“Ditto.” He kisses her, promises himself to come home safe and whole and alive. He won’t ever leave Annabeth, leave their child. He won’t ever abandoned their family. 

“I love you Annabeth.”

“I love you too Percy.”

**Author's Note:**

> It would mean the galaxy and stars to me if someone would maybe perhaps let me know what they thought of this part!!! Lol it was based off the dialogue prompt "It's okay I bought two" SO yeah I'm a mess XD 
> 
> If you have any prompts or anything for these two plz LMK <3 <3 
> 
> Come chat with me on [Tumblr](http://LiterallyLen.tumblr.com)
> 
> With Love  
~Len


End file.
